Aki Saito

I grew up in Japan where I won first prize in the Japanese ballet competition in my youth. This success earned me a scholarship through ‘Prix de Lausanne’ where I was noticed by Marinella Paneda, the former director of the Royal Ballet School Antwerp. She was the key to my dance education at the Royal Ballet School Antwerp, after which I became principal dancer with the Royal Ballet of Flanders, together with Wim Vanlessen. After my departure from the Royal Ballet of Flanders in 2019, I felt the urge to pass on my passion to young dancers. The icing on the cake for me was that I was able do this in the school that trained me: the Royal Ballet School Antwerp. Pupils must dare to dream and work hard for every chance they get. With the combination of these qualities, I want to guide each pupil as well as possible to a bright future!